Mapping our future.

While last month we were focused here in the national office on clean up of the membership records to prepare for the upgrades in technology, this month is all about mapping our data to smooth the transition into NEON's system. I know you are very jealous. ;>)

I have been working with Anne Potter of Extreme Consulting going over all of our records. We have begun to decide which information needs to be ported to the new system. We have also begun to map our data to NEON's data management system. What this means is that if you have two tables, Table 1 and Table 2, and want to move data from one to the other you have to be able to say "I want information in Table 1 Column A to move to Table 2 Column A." This is not necessarily a difficult issue but it is time consuming because you have to dig in and decipher how the information is stored. Why? Well, because we have two tables that name things very differently. As an example:

table 1 in our case is Raiser's Edge which labels its column that has our membership's first names in it as:
CnAdrSal_Salutation
Katie
Jennifer

meanwhile, table 2 NEON labels it's column for first names as:
First Name
Katie
Jennifer

So to move this data we have to tell NEON to "map" the column entitled "CnAdrSal_Salutation" to send its information to Neon's "First Name" column. Again, not necessarily difficult but as you can see Raiser's Edge is a bit more cryptic than NEON in its choices which actually is the epitomy of how both data management systems choose to conduct business in general.

Anyway, that process is in its final stages which means that we are one step closer to going live with all of our exciting upgrades in technology and the benefits that will offer our membership! We are all anticipating that by this time next month we here in the national office should be getting ready to begin staff training on how to use the new system which means that we are even closer to opening the new system, new opportunities and new benefits up to you.

More soon: here on the blog, in E-Notes and in the editorials of Overtones!
Katie

For everything there is a time...

Time-lines have become the structure of the national office in recent weeks. They provide the outline for implementing the New Initiatives set forth by the national board. The following time-line takes us through the next 11 months and will give you the framework of what we hope to accomplish in that time:

December 2010

• NEON system delivered, complete with customization and current member data
• National office staff trained
  
• National staff reviews data and customization and works with z2Sytems to adjust where necessary
• National office begins converting content of AGEHR website to reflect the new name - Handbell Musicians of America
  

January 2011

• Begin using NEON in-house for all member database functions
  
• Begin integrating NEON with AGEHR website and make basic features available to membership
• Begin incorporating our new name into event marketing and branding
• National Seminar registration opens on-line through NEON

March/April 2011

• Begin incorporating new name into E-newsletters and e-mail messaging
• More NEON features become available on-line
• Continue transitioning website
  

Spring/Summer 2011

• As supplies of printed matter (envelopes, stationery, brochures, etc.) run-out, new orders will be placed with new branding
• All NEON features live and available to members and staff
• Continue transitioning website to new brand
  
• Areas begin incorporating new name in events, newsletters and other communications
  

September 2011

• September/October issue of Overtones will incorporate new brand
• Finalize transition of website to new brand
  

October 2011

• Rebranding complete
• New website address will be www.handbellmusicians.org

Many of these changes are just around the corner. Start watching the website and other information out of the national office for hints of the new name and logo. As we work our way through the process, more details will be added and others adjusted. As with all transition, we don't know all the challenges we'll face along the way, so must be prepared to adjust and adapt as necessary.